The Stories of Us—a nonprofit arts organization registered in New York City, New York—is banging the drum for encouraging public discourse on how to shape a future that is equitable for everyone with a new outdoor exhibition, now on display in Detroit’s Capitol Park.
The Detroit installation is the debut effort of The Stories of Us, an organization that aims to tell stories through art exhibited across the U.S.—in this case, artists’ canvases wrapped around large-scale drum sculptures conceived and designed by Ethiopian American artist and industrial designer Jomo Tariku. The company embraces Tariku’s drum concept as the creative foundation of its sculptures, which includes the idea that across cultures and geography, drums have brought and continue to bring people together for storytelling, commemoration, celebration, and expression.
The Stories of Us identified Detroit as a key location to showcase an exhibition early on. Its cofounder Ashley Shaw Scott Adjaye cites the city’s thriving artistic community, location in the heart of the country, and history as factors in that decision.
“From the Underground Railroad to the Great Migration to Motown to today, Detroit exemplifies how the United States has worked towards a more equitable future and how far we have to go as a nation,” says Shaw Scott Adjaye. “It’s a city that continues to evolve, and we want to celebrate the equity work in Detroit, impacting the rest of the country.”
The Stories of Us has partnered with Bedrock’s Decked Out Detroit initiative to support downtown Detroit businesses by offering free, family-friendly activities and events, along with the Downtown Detroit Partnership to stage the Detroit show. “In addition to a financial contribution, the Bedrock team has supported local partnership building, provided studio space for our artists, provided exhibition logistics and media communications in addition to other in-kind support,” Shaw Scott Adjaye says.
Thirty Detroit artists were invited to submit entries for The Stories of Us Detroit installation. After a review process, 11 artists were commissioned to create the works that are now on display. Participating artists include Peter Daniel Bernal, Darius Baber, Shirley Woodson & Senghor Reid, Khary Mason, Cailyn Dawson, Ackeem Salmon, Juniper Jones, Nicole Macdonald, DeAnn Wiley, and Hubert Massey.
“Each artist was invited to respond to one of the 10 themes in our narrative framework—10 themes that give us the opportunity to learn from our past, understand our present, and reimagine a future we can create together,” Shaw Scott Adjaye says, adding, “The Stories of Us encourages the idea of transformative solidarity, in which we not only stand alongside each other, but we see ourselves in each other. We choose to actively work towards equity, taking individual steps, together.”
The Stories of Us’ Detroit exhibition will remain in Capitol Park through July 7, after which it moves to the city’s Valade Park until Aug. 15. “From there, we will head to Atlanta for the 2024 Equity Summit hosted by our founding partner PolicyLink, a national research and action institute,” says Shaw Scott Adjaye. “Working alongside the PolicyLink team led by CEO & President Michael McAfee, we will then continue to take the exhibition to key cities around the country over the coming months and years.”
The exhibitions are leading up to a full-scale program The Stories of Us is planning to launch in 2026, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence signing.
